Untouchable
by bc713
Summary: An old threat rears its head to strike Konoha. Tsunade sends what remains of team 7 to search out an old ally to help them. But what if he doesn't want to? Sasuke is back.
1. Chapter 1

"Gen-sama."

"What is it, Yue-chan?" said a relaxed male voice.

"Gen-sama, it is almost time, shall we proceed?" spoke the soft, yet steady voice.

"Yes, I suppose so."

The man stood up and stretched, the bones of his back creaking and popping into place. His companion winced at the discusting sound. She was a pale, lithe woman with long flowing white hair, sakura pink eyes, and full ruby lips. She wore light-weight armor over a short, grey and black kimono.

"The others are waiting for us from their positions in the manor. All we need is your signal." She said softly, pulling on a bone white, porcelan mask. Her leader stepped slowly out of the shadows like the seasoned predator he was.

Golden hair that could outshine the sun glinted in the light of the summer moon. Bronzed skin pulled taut over toned lean muscle glowed from the openings of his armor. His most defining features were his tri-striped cheeks and ocean blue eyes. Two swords were crossed over his back. He was tall and well-built for a young man his age, and held an unmistakable air of power and ruthlessness.

"Well, it would be rude to keep them waiting, wouldn't it?"

"Let's go."

The two flitted out of sight. That night, the yakuza head of the _Shiruba-kumo_ (Silver Spider) gang and his entire family were silently slaughtered. Their bodies were never found, only their blood remained, painting the manor walls red. It was as though they had been plucked out of existance.

The _Ningai no shuzoku _had made another killing.

/untouchable/

"Tsunade-sama!! We have recieved a report from our informants in Bird! They have comfirmed sightings of Orochimaru!"

The young-looking blonde stood up. "What?! I thought that the Uchiha killed him!" The jounin shifted under her glare.

"According to the reports, he had somehow accquired a new body after he was rejected. He's been recruting missing nin left and right; his forces are nearing seven-hundred!"

"Have they managed to figure out how strong they are?" Tsunade said grimly.

"Most of them are in the upper chunin and lower jounin. The rest are genin. Probably those who failed the chunin tests repeatedly."

Tsunade rested her head on her hands."I guess he's going for quantity rather than quality; but those numbers are extremely worrying. Have they reported on their movements?"

"Yes, they are reported to be approaching the Land of Fire and attacking the smaller villages along the way. There is no doubt that they are coming here."

"..."

"Hokage-sama, what are we going to do?" He asked meekly. She looked up at the young jounin wearily.

"Send Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke to me right away. Tell them it is a mission of absolute importance."

"Hai!"

/untouchable/

Uchiha Sasuke lay on his bed. His room was dark, the windows covered by black shades. He hated going outside, unless he absolutely needed to. Outside just reminded him of what was missing. When the sun shone in the clear blue sky, memories of his genin years assaulted him. Memories of youth, companionship,..and Naruto.

He had left Konoha to join Orochimaru in the hopes of gaining the power to kill his brother. He had succeeded in destroying Itachi and Orochimaru, before being dragged back by his obnoxious, stubborn, pure-hearted friend. Yes. After seven years Sasuke had finally accepted the blonde as his best friend and true brother. But Naruto was no longer here.

The raven felt deep, overwhelming hate flood his veins at the memory. Naruto had fully merged with the Kyuubi when he brought Sasuke back. They had both been in horrible, but stable condition. The elders had been overjoyed at having the last Uchiha back in the village. Thanks to them his sentence had been decreased to try and gain his favor. He had been kept under chakra restraints and Anbu supervision for three months, with intense interogations. He was then put under a year of probation.

The only people to visit him during that time was Sakura and Kakashi. At first he had been hurt that Naruto hadn't visited him. Not that he deserved it, but it still hurt. After all, Naruto was the one who was so adament about his return, surely he would come to at least give him a well-deserved punch in the face.(Sakura did though.) It never happened. When he had beaten down his pride enough to ask them where Naruto was, Sakura burst into tears and Kakashi just looked away.

Only during the last month of his probation did they tell him what had happened. The village council, having gotten word of the merge between Naruto and the Kyuubi, accessed his condition, and found that the Kyuubi could not be removed. Thus the remainder of the Akatsuki couldn't have the last jinchuuriki. The village no longer had to protect Naruto. In fact he was deemed a hazard to Konoha; they feared that Naruto had actually become a demon and no longer wanted to have him within their walls.

In short, Naruto was banished from Konoha. In spite of the protest raised by the Hokage and the rookie nine, he was kicked out. No one had heard from him since. Iruka and Sakura were some of the ones who were hit the worst. Iruka had become severly depressed; it had taken three years with Kakashi's help to get out of it. Sakura would get this broken, guilty look whenever someone brought him up.

Kakashi seemed to lose touch with the world even more frequently than usual. And as for Sasuke, he had no life in Konoha. Even after seven years, the rookie nine still shunned him, not suprisingly. Kakashi and Sakura had been a tad frosty toward him for a while too. When Sasuke had asked them why they even bothered to visit him, they had said it was for the sake of Team 7 and Naruto. The boy hadn't sacrificed all of that time and effort for them to trample on his work.

In the end they were the only people he still talked to. He couldn't be bothered with the others, never having been close to them in the first place.

Sasuke was now a jounin. Even after betraying the village he had still managed to gain his positon. He went out on missions almost constantly, in the hopes of finding the blonde. Somehow, he wanted to regain the missing piece that had been gone since Itachi. He knew that he didn't deserve Naruto's friendship, but he couldn't figure out what else he could do. Sometimes he just wanted to leave again, afterall he didn't have any connections in Konoha anymore, but whenever Sasuke felt this Kakashi or Sakura would give him a sound knock. Although they had forgiven him, neither would hesitate to kill him if he even dared to try.

So he was stuck here in the Leaf village, grasping at straws, trying to find the ball of sunshine that could light up his darkness. The only one who could heal his festering wounds." Man, this is getting depressing."

"I couldn't agree more." Sasuke's eyes widened at the familiar voice. He jerked up to see Kakashi standing in the doorway, his eyes crinkled into amused cresents.

"How long have you been there!?" He snarled, his face reddening with rage and embaressment. Kakashi ignored his question.

"The Hokage has an important mission for us. Hurry up." He drawled annoyingly. The copycat nin poofed away, leaving Sasuke to fume.

_At least some things haven't changed._

/untouchable/

Sasuke and Kakashi entered the office where Sakura was already waiting for them. She smiled softly at him in greeting; he nodded. Perhaps the only good thing about his betrayal was the drastic change in Sakura's attitude. She had gone from ditzy fangirl to a strong-willed kunoichi. Although since Naruto's banishment, she had become more prone to tears.

"This mission has the fate of Konoha resting on it, so you must listen carefully to my instructions." Tsunade said solemnly. She pushed a sealed scroll towards them.

"I need you three to deliver this message to the _Ningai no shuzoku_." The three stiffened. They were currently the most feared group of mercinaries to date. The _Ningai no shuzoku _were double S-class criminals, imfamous for their silent efficientcy and their extermination of the remaining Akatsuki.

Kakashi frowned deeply. "The fate of Konoha? We are asking them for help?!"

"Shishou!"

"What threat could be so terrible, that we're asking these mercinaries to aid us? I thought that Konoha had a partnership with Suna." Sasuke said with a slightly disturbed expression. Tsunade gazed at him cooly.

"Orochimaru."

"What?!"

"That's impossible! I got rid of him." Sasuke snarled. There was no way that batsard was still alive!

Tsunade chuckled bitterly."He's like a cockaroach. Just won't stay dead. He somehow managed to gain a new body, and is recruting rogue nins to his cause: Destroy Konoha. That's why we're getting more help." She leaned back with a sigh. "It shouldn't be too hard. Gen-san, their leader, owes me a favor, and he never breaks his word."

There was a gloomy pause at those words.

"Anyway, I need you to track him down and give him the scroll. It will tell him everything he needs to know about our situation. I'm also sending Jiraiya with you, as his connections will make it easier to find him. It may take you a while, so pack your things and go to the gates. Jiraiya is waiting for you there." She dismissed them.

As the three poofed from her sight, she sighed. Tsunade pulled a bottle of sake from her special stash and took a swig.

_Has your bitterness passed on yet, Naruto?_

_/_untouchable/

As the trio reached the gate, the Toad hermit waved them over impatiently, eager to get going.

"About time you got here. One of my informants got wind of where the _Ningai no shuzoku _may be staying. Apparently they're laying low in a small Wind village after a high-stake mission." Sakura glance up at him, nervously.

"Erm, Jiraiya-sama, how much do you know about the _Ningai?_" The others stared at the man. Jiraiya smiled blandly.

"Enough. Their a fairly new, elite bunch that managed to take out the Akatsuki. In total there are six of them. Their leader, Gen, is the most powerful. He has connections with almost every criminal head in the underworld, and has his fingers tapped into every intelligence line. That's why we have to move quickly. If he gets so much as a whiff of us, he'll disappear into the shadows again."

"I thought that he owes the Hokage a favor?" Kakashi asked over his book. Jiraiya sighed.

"An I.O.U., more or less, but he won't come willingly. Gen has a deep-seated grudge against Konoha, only his word keeps him bound to Tsunade-hime. No one else has anything over him, and thus no one else matters. That's why whe have to be extremely careful around them. _Gen_ may not be the type to shoot the messenger, but the same can't be said for his buddies. Act as you would with the Fire Daimyo; be polite and don't loose your temper." he said, sending Sasuke a pointed look.

"If you insult him in front of his lackies, you could end up dead. Remember, these guys don't follow the same social rules we do. We're going to be infultrating the underworld of crime here. Just keep your heads down and your ears open. Don't talk unless spoken to. I'll handle the negotiations." Sasuke sniffed.

"So we're just here to escort you?" _When I could be doing more important things, like getting in contact with Naruto._

"Tch. You should be grateful you can even get missions, Uchiha." Unlike his team, Jiraiya and Tsunade remained cold. Kakashi decided to break the tense pressure developing between them.

"Is there anything else we need to know, Jiraiya?" The sanin's eyes flickered with contemplation for a moment.

"Nah. If I think of anything, I'll tell you. Now let's go." He said speeding up. The others quickened their pace. Kakashi frowned slightly but did not say anything.

Jiraiya mentally groaned. Why did she send these guys, especially the Uchiha boy? Anyone else would have been better. _Did she think that sending them would make things easier? If that's what she thought, then Umino would have been the better choice._

As for lieing to - it wasn't lieing really, just concealling the full deal - Kakashi and the brats, telling them the true identity of Gen would severely complicate matters. With the threat to Konoha growing rapidly, complications could spell the end of the village. He had no idea what would happen when the man realized who had come to get him. It had been seven years after all.

And if Gen chose to flee, they would end up chasing him to the ends of the earth, garnering the ire of his followers. Konoha could not afford to gain anymore enemies right now, they were too vulnerable. If they were lucky, the man's insesant hatred of Orochimaru would override his discust for his former village. Perhaps even the fondness for his old friends would help the matter along.

That is, if Naruto still had his humanity in tact. One did not become the most feared and successful mercinary of the underworld by being soft. With that being said, their mission was looking increasingly difficult.

_As long as the Uchiha brat keeps his tongue, everything should be fine._

With that last thought, Jiraiya sped onward towards the border of Fire and Wind.

/untouchable/

Elsewhere, in an expensive looking bedroom, a handsome blonde lay sleeping on a soft matress, his glimmering locks splayed over the rich, silk sheets. His armor and weapons lay at the foot of the bed. Despite his peaceful expression, no one would dare try to wake him. Last time a young fool had tried and had his arms lopped off in the middle of awaking him. It was like poking a sleeping serpent.

Yue stood guard outside of his room, ignoring the badly concealed leers sent her way by the passing cronies of the yakuza boss they were currently staying with. One of Gen-sama's 'dogs' as he called them. Despicable people really. They groveled and kissed up to him, hoping to gain favor over the other bosses and become one of his few favorites. Once you were in with him, your life was basically secured. No one dared to harm what belonged to Gen-sama.

She sighed tiredly and twisted her knee-length crystal strands into a braid in her boredom. Yue couldn't wait till they moved again, away from these pathetic mutts. Maybe they could score another fortune doing something more interesting than slaughtering baby lambs. She was sure that Gen-sama was getting bored as well. He was probably already looking for more jobs to train their new rookie.

Her lush pink irises sharpened. Hopefully the others weren't getting into any mischief. As his second in command, she kept the other members in line during his occasional absences. Their mistakes were her responsibility, and she didn't feel like putting herself in a bad position with Gen-sama. Yue could not afford to be 'replaced'. The thought sent chills down her spine.

Gen-sama was a...not _good_ per se, but a _refined _sort of criminal. He could be patient, cordial, and even charming on occasions, but was a rutheless businessman where work was concerned. She had seen him tear a man to pieces with his bare hands, not even batting an eye, and later on rough-housing with some local children like a playful teen. Gen-sama was an odd mix of contrasting elements that never ceased to amaze and frighten her.

It was that same eccentricy that drew the others to him and kept them loyal. The same went for her of course. Despite his choice in jobs, Gen-sama had his morals. Twisted as they were.

To be truthful, the five of them were extremely fond of him. They hadn't called themselves the 'household of outcasts' for nothing. Their psuedo-family relationship was actually quite comfortable. Considering their various backgrounds, this was the closest thing to love and family that any of them had ever had, and they protected it fiercly.

They took the meaning of his name very seriously.

_Gen._

_Not to be touched. _

_One that is untouchable. _

It described him perfectly.

Yes, Gen-sama was untouchable, and they would die to keep it that way.

* * *

If you haven't figured it out, there will be OCs. I don't know if I'm going to make it Sasu/Naru.

Read and Review.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

* * *

It was around twilight that they reached the border of Fire. Jiraiya stopped them just outside of the village they were going to stay in.

"Alright, from here on out I want you guys to remove your headprotectors and hide them. Once we start moving in towards his current hideyhole, we'll be surrounded by his many informants. It's not odd for Konoha nin to be doing missions in Wind, due to our alliance with Sand, but we don't want to give them any reasons to get nervous." _We have to get close enough to corner him._

The three did as they were told, Kakashi replaced his headband with a bandana. Jiraiya led them into the village once they were properly disguised. They entered an inn, and rented two rooms for the night. Sakura would have one room to herself, while the men would share. The sannin gathered them together to relay the plan.

"Get a good night's sleep, cause we'll be heading out early tomorrow and traveling all day. By tomorrow night, we should reach the town that the _Ningai _are in. From then on, I want you guys to stay alert, but try not to act too suspisiously. We can't afford to tip off the local yakuza." Sakura frowned.

"Yakuza?" Jiraiya chuckled.

"Yeah. Didn't I tell you that Gen is the top mercinary in the Underworld? Let's just say that he's really buddybuddy with a few of the distinguished bosses. The majority are smaller no-name gangs that suck-up to him. He no doubt has a whole platoon of them in the towns within a ten mile radius of his location. While they may not be trained shinobi, there are enough of them to be a major pain. That's why you need to be on your best behavior, even before we get close."

Sasuke glowered in annoyance. This mission was turning out to be a real bother.

"So what are we going to do once we get there?" Kakashi asked.

"We're going to get a..pass, if you will from one of my guys, who has managed to become one of their guides. They receive job offers either through the yakuza or private costumers and transfer them over to Gen. We'll stop by and request a job from them, and give the pass to the lower crones. Once it passes the boss, we will be given an audience with Gen. He only takes jobs where he can speak directly to the costumer. So once we're in, I'll deliver the message. Then we see what happens."

Sakura lay on the bed in her room, silently contemplating the sannin's words, and the mysterious Gen.

It was nerve-racking to just think about the situation ahead of them. If this didn't work, Konoha would be crushed by the snake's forces. Mossy, jade eyes shut tightly.

_Worrying won't help anything. I need to sleep or I'll hold back Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Sasuke._

_Sasuke._

Her eyes softened at the thought of her teammate. After his defection, she had started to become a true kunoichi. Naruto had been there for her even before that. Only until after he was gone did she truely understand how good a friend he was. Even after all these years, Sasuke was still trying to find and get in touch with Naruto. He wanted to reestablish the precious bond he had broken. Her heart ached for both of them. The world had been so hard on the two.

Naruto had completely vanished off of the face of the earth after his banishment. No one knew where he was, or if he was still alive. She and the Rookie nine still believed that Naruto was alive out there somewhere. She prayed that he had found some sort of happiness. Happiness, acceptance, and love. The things that Konoha could not give him.

Sakura's mind sunk into her old memories as she drifted off into sleep.

_I hope you are happy, Naruto._

/untouchable/

Gen finally woke up from his nap, dismissed Yue, and was currently eating the meal his host had prepared for him. Ramen. Expensive stuff though. If there was one thing he liked about these lower bosses was that they just threw things at his feet, hoping that he would push their rise to the top. He did occasionally for the ones he respected, but as for the rest...well, they pratically prostrated themselves before him, so why not indulge?

As he savored his noodles, his ears picked up the swift padding of footsteps heading his way. Gen mentally sighed, recognizing the steps of his two most troublesome followers. The door to his private room slammed open and two blurs flew in. They rebounded off of the walls, chasing each other in haphazard circles around their leader.

"Give it back, you damn brat!!"

"No way in hell!"

Gen finished his ramen and placed his chopsticks neatly on the rim of the bowl. He then went to sipping his tea, occasionally lifting the tray out of the path of destruction.

"You, are a kleptomaniac, and it is my duty as your sempai to get you help, so come're so I can bash your skull in!!"

"Get off of me you pedophile!! Gen-saaan! Maru is bullying me!!"

"He's lying, Gen! I'm just making sure that Chibi-chan knows his place!"

As the two continued to bicker, Gen drank the last of the bland drink and firmly placed the porcelain cup on the mahogany tray. The sharp sound of the cup started the two out of their chase.The blurs skidded to a halt revealing one tall male and a shorter teenager. The man had dark brown hair that stuck out at odd angles over his mask. The younger boy was about sixteen or so, according to his height, and had dark crimson locks that spilled over onto his mask. The two watched their leader pensively as he rose to his feet to face them.

Stern ocean orbs glanced at them coolly, mildly annoyed at having his meal disturbed, although the slight curl of his lip ruined the glower on his face.

"I can't have a moment's peace around here. Now what are you two arguing about? Maru?" he asked the older man. Maru huffed indignantly.

"Chibi-chan stole my precious Icha-Icha Paradise!" He whined, pointing accusingly at the red head. Said boy snarled at him.

"Stop calling me that! My name is Shin! Anyway, I was doing you and all of us a favor by trying to get rid of that book! Only perverts read that trash!"

"It's not trash, and besides I bet you just wanted to read it for yourself! Snivelly little closet perverts are the worst!"

"Shut up, you prick!"

"What kind of comeback is that?"

Gen calmly reached forward and cuffed their skulls with his fists. Maru whined even louder, and Shin shot him a dirty look.

"That's enough you two. Shin, give Maru back his porn; it's the only action he gets now a days." The redhead snickered and did what he was told.

"Hmph! I'll have you know that I do get some pretty good action when you're not around, Gen-chan. You always steal them all." Maru pouted, clutching on to the orange book. Gen couldn't help but feel a nostalgic twang, remembering a silver-haired shinobi who also adored those books.

"I know that you guys are feeling jittery being in one place for so long, but I still need to negotiate the terms of our next job, so try to stay out of trouble, kay?"

Maru sighed." Hai, _Otousan_." he muttered sarcastically.

Shin saluted."Osu!"

"Dismissed." The two poofed from the room.

For some reason Gen just wanted to laugh. His teammates often reminded him of himself as a youth. Back when he had been innocently naive about the world and its workings. Well, there was no point in pondering over what was already done, and with that, Gen exited his room to visit his _kind_ host who would no doubt try and keep him here as long as possible.

That was not an opption. They had to leave as soon as possible, or else either Tsunade's Anbu or Jiraiya's informants would peg him. He was a man of his word, but it didn't exclude loopholes. Afterall, he didn't owe Konoha anything. Gen glanced out the window at an old oak in the garden.

_Once a leaf has fallen, it can never return to the tree._

/untouchable/

Kakashi watched tiredly as Jiraiya and Sasuke snipped at each other. It was about five or so, in the morning and Sakura was busy signing them out of the inn. The sannin had woken them up just a few minutes ago, all ready to go. Sasuke had been a little stubborn about it, and the toad sage had sent a large summon to 'get the tight-ass out of bed.' Which had entailed swallowing Sasuke and spitting him into the koi pond outside. Jiraiya had never gotten over how Konoha had welcomed the Uchiha back.

Thus he was here, listening to the two insult each other's intelligence, honor, and...preferences. From the looks of it, Sasuke was loosing.

"Bah! Still a virgin at twenty-five, not even a single girlfriend, that's just sad. Are you sure that you aren't gay?"

"Get bent, you perverted geezer! So what if I don't go sleeping with filthy whores? You're probably diseased!"

"This is why you need to get laid, kid. Go and propagate your clan. I'm sure there are enough of your fangirls to do the job."

"You, fu-"

"I'm back!...Um, is..everything okay?" Sakura trailed off as she took in the two fuming ninja. Kakashi smiled at her cheerfully, decidedly ignoring them.

"Oh, Sakura, are you done? Jiraiya-sama, shall we get going?" He said loftily. The sannin snorted.

"Tch! Just putting junior in his place, is all. Now let's get moving, I want to be there by sundown." The man strode off with his nose pointed in the air. Sasuke growled after him.

"This is the bastard that trained the dobe? That incompetent, withered pervert!?" His hissed through bared teeth. Kakashi patted his shoulder.

"Yep. But for all it's worth, Naruto turned out just fine." The others went quiet. Hardly anyone ever said his name nowadays. It was both depressing and refreshing to hear it again. Jiraiya called them from his spot several feet ahead of them.

"Hurry up! We don't have time to be nostagic. The _Ningai _aren't going to wait, and neither will I !" He disappeared in a poof. The three hurried after him. The sannin sighed wearily. He had to keep them from focusing on Naruto during this mission. If they started noticing similarities between Naruto and Gen, things would get really hairy. Best to keep their minds as far away from the blond as possible.

_At least till this whole thing blows over. After that, it's all up to you, Naruto._

If they managed to defeat Orochimaru, there would be no easy way to settle things once Gen's identity got out. Yes, Jiraiya knew full well that somehow, through this whole thing, Naruto would not be able to keep his secret. There were too many coincidences. Kakashi would probably be the first to figure it out, and then it would all go to hell from there.

Jiraiya's patience was thinning from all the stress; one of the reasons he kept picking on the Uchiha.( He was fun to tease. No wonder Naruto bugged him so much.) That guy at the pawn shop better have their pass or else heads were going to fly.

/untouchable/

"Gen-sama, I insist that you stay just a little bit longer. I am having my cook prepare a popular Wave country dish tonight, and I want you to try it. It's simply marvelous." said the middle-aged yakuza boss walking alongside the blond. Gen fought the urge to roll his eyes as his attempts to bid him farewell were pushed aside. Again.

"Ah, I'm afraid that we must be going, Raioh-san. We have intruded on your generosity for far too long and-" He was cut off. Again. More excuses. More excuses. Maybe throw a daughter or two at him. The works. Sometimes the lows to which some of them would sink made him sick.

"_Intruded!? _Gen-sama, it is my-_our_ utmost pleasure to serve you and your comrades! Why just the other day my wife was begging me to let her give you all a tour of our lovely town. And my daughter Kimiko is absolutely besotted with you, Gen-sama! Are you sure you wouldn't like to spend some time with her?"

Gen flashed his perfected charming smile, all the while wishing he could just off the guy. Just a quick slice to the jugular, and the annoying voice would fade forever.

"I'm sorry, Raioh-san, but my career is not suited for maintaining a relationship. Besides, I have many enemies and it would put Kimiko-dono in terrible danger. Thank you for your hospitality, but we really must be going." he said with a finality that only a complete idiot would miss. Fortunenatly, Raioh was not, and his ass-kissing folded like a house of cards.

"Y-yes, of course. It was my pleasure, Gen-sama. I hope you enjoyed your stay." Short, curt and to the point. See? Was that so hard? If only these insects realized that the ones who were his 'favorites' were just that. If they stopped being so insufferable, he would be more willing to help them move up in rank. But then again, some people can't see past the ends of their noses. Such people were cursed to lay in the dirt, he supposed.

"I'm going to round up my friends and get going around sunset. Send Mameha-san my thanks." Gen said, striding down the hall, leaving a rather disappointed boss to stand in the deserted hallway alone.

/ooo/

Yue had just finished her bath, and was starting to dress in her designated room. The only good thing about staying with these lowlives was the pampering they got. This place had an indoor hotsprings! She rung out her shimmering snowy hair and twisted it into a loose ponytail. A sharp knock on her door pulled her from her peaceful zen.

"Yue, are you decent?" Came the smooth voice of her leader. She smiled coyly even though he couldn't see it.

"No, but you can come in anyways." Yue answered shifting the towel around her body. Gen entered and shut the door behind him, sending only a light glance in her direction. Not perverted in the least. That was one of the things she liked about him. Gen was no virgin, but he was still a gentleman. He lay himself over her bed with a tired groan.

"Raioh-san, again?" Yue said sympathetically.

"Mn. We'll be leaving this dump at sunset, so start packing after you finish." He said, his eyes still closed, trying to block off an incoming migraine.

Yue giggled softly as she slid the towel from her body and pulled on her kimono top. "Your regulars are spoiling you, if you consider this place a dump, Gen."

"Even the richest of palaces can be infested with 'roaches'." Suddenly one of his crystal blue eyes shot open."Hey, do you know where Kana and Toma are?"

"Hm. I think Toma is in the gardens, meditating again. As for Kana...you'll probably find her flirting with the guards somewhere." He got up and made to slip out the window.

"Thanks. Oh and Yue, would you mind telling Maru and Shin? They were supposed to be gathering the last of the requests, but I'm sure they'll get sidetracked along the way so they'll probably be a little late."

"Yes, of course. You don't need to ask." She said. Yue watched him gracefully slip out of the room. Well, they had gotten their wish. They were moving again. She went to gather her scant belongings. They were like a roaming pack of wolves, and they all loved it. True, there were some moments where one wanted to settle down somewhere, but it never lasted long as the roads called to their blood.

Even though they had only started this band of misfits six years ago, they were all pretty close. Gen-sama handpicked them out of several S-class criminals throughout the nation. Shin was the exception; he was an orphan that had tagged along during their third year and never left. Maru had been a notorious thief from Wave. Toma was an elite assasin from Rock. Kana was a homicidal mental patient that Gen had picked up from Wind. As for herself, Yue had been a mercinary from Snow, exiled for killing her boss.

_All in all, we're a pretty messed up family. _Yue thought with a small smile.

And none of them would trade this for the world.

/ooo/

"Are you sure you can't get away for just a couple minutes?" crooned a seductive voice. The burly guard shifted nervously as a shapely brunett sauntered towards him. He wasn't supposed to talk to the esteemed members of the _Ningai _under the boss's orders, but she was soo tempting.

"I mean, even if someone saw they wouldn't dare tell." she purred.

Kana's wavy, ebony hair swished as she walked, her dark eyes flashing mischieviously. Oh, how she loved to play with these mice. She was just about to set the finishing tone, when-

"Kana-chan, I can't believe that you would cheat on me. My pride has been wounded beyond repair." came a pained voice from behind her. She whipped around

"Gen-tama!" The guard nearly wet himself and took off while she was distracted. The busty raven threw her arms around Gen's neck.

"Of course I'm not, Gen-tama! I'm just playing! I would never cheat on you!" Kana crowed as she nuzzled his neck. Gen patted her head indulgently.

"Yes, yes of course. Kana, we're going to be leaving soon, so pack your things. I've already told Toma, and Maru and Shin will be coming later."

"Hai!" Kana layed a wet smack on his cheek before flitting off to who knows where. Gen rubbed his assalted cheek. No matter how many times she did it, he just could not get used to physical affection. Not even from the others. He guessed it was from how he had grown up. No one had ever hugged or kissed him back then, so it was weird for him now. Anyway he had to tolerate it to keep Kana in a good mood.

He leaned against one of the wooden supports, and let his gaze wander over the manicured garden. Toma had gone inside to pack, so no one was there any more. A koi flipped out of the pond with a splash, but misjudged the leap and landed on the grass. It flailed helplessly as it fought to breathe. Gen walked over to the dying fish and pondered what to do with it. He could just toss it back into the pond, or...well, he did feel a little peckish.

Sometimes he needed to feed his primal side, due to his merge with the fox. The occasional, unlucky bird, fish, or rodent would find its way to his mouth. If he didn't eat raw flesh every now and then, he would get antsy and irritable. Repressing his urges had never benefited him anyway.

The fish's scales gave way under his sharp canines, bones cruching sickeningly as he fed. Maru often teased him, saying that he would get worms or some other parasite and they would have to take him to a vet. The others mearly took it in stride, although Toma had expressed pity for the next woman who kissed him. As he finished up, the hairs on his neck prickled with awareness.

He looked up from the remains of the fish and felt his surroundings. Something, or someone was coming for him. He only got this feeling when Jiraiya or Tsunade's Anbu were trailing him.

"Dammit." It was a good thing they were leaving tonight. But now he couldn't enjoy his snack anymore. Gen threw the fish over the wall, into the forest, where some other animal would prosper from his ill fortune.

"Bastards. You want me back? Well, you're gonna have to work for it."

And if they did, they would soon find out that his aid didn't come cheap.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The sun cast a greyish mauve over the sky as the Leaf shinobi arrived. They had settled on a ledge overlooking the town to go over the remaining procedures and warnings.

Tired and sweaty, Sakura glanced over at her companions.

Sasuke looked a little worse for wear and even Kakashi seemed winded. Jiraiya on the other hand looked ansty; as if he couldn't wait much longer.

_Couldn't he give us a little break? The Ningai aren't leaving right this moment are they? _Sakura wondered sullenly, not voicing her opinion. Sasuke on the other hand did not harbor such restraint.

"How is it that you expect us to be able to defend ourselves against the hordes of thugs that will supposedly attack us after running us into the ground?" He growled.

The sage sniffed. "Maybe if you were in better shape it wouldn't be a problem."

Sasuke made to snap but Kakashi shut him up with a cuff to the head.

"So, what do we do now, Jiraiya?"

"Well, since you're all _so_ tired you can go get us rooms at the closest inn. Just make sure to do it quietly." He glanced at the two teens, glaring pointedly at the Uchiha.

"No picking fights, no snide comments, no death glares, no _nothing_! At least half of the town is run by yakuza thugs. The tiniest spark will blow the powder keg. Konoha's existance rides on this mission, Understood?"

"Yes, Jiraiya-sama."

"..."

"And you'll be getting the pass?" Kakashi asked as the older shinobi got up to leave.

"And will meet you at the bar opposite of that building over there." He said, pointing at a large, elaborate looking structure in the eastern section of the town.

"Keep your mouths shut, and your heads low. I'll be back within the hour." They gave an affermitive.

The group split off for their destinations, not realizing that their plan was already going up in smoke.

...Meanwhile...

"Will you stop flirting and hurry up already!?" Shin snarled at his older counterpart. They had been sent on a simple errand: to collect any remaining job requests from the secret stations set up by the Yakuza lord for smuggling and etc.

It would have been a simple task if Maru hadn't determined to gawk and flirt with almost anything on two legs. Shin had just pried the brunette from the door of a brothel house.

"But Chibi-_chaaan_, this lovely lady over here needs help with her sh-_EEEOW_!!!" Maru's whine morphed into a shriek as the redhead yanked his ear.

Shin grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and brought the man down to meet his face. Curse his height!

"Thanks to you, we are running _late_!!! I _refuse_ to get in trouble with _Boss_ just because you can't control your hormones!!" The teen hissed.

Maru's wide orbs turned into happy arches.

"Awwww~are you jealous, Chibi? You know I wuv u." He sang in a mocking baby voice as he pinched and pulled the boy's cheeks. Shin flushed red in fury and shoved the man away, veins begining to pop on his neck.

"_Shut up_!! _Get off me_!! This is the final straw!! If you don't hurry up I'll burn your precious books!!!" He howled, ignoring the looks he was getting from passerby. The smug look bled off of Maru's face as he gaped in horror.

"You wouldn't!? Nooooooo!!! They're my most prized earthly possessions!!"

"Then _move_!"

...

A familiar prickle of awareness washed through Gen's system as he sat on the ledge of the outdoor patio. His gut was warning him that it was time to go, and like any other predator, he did not ignore his primal instincts.

"I'm soo not in the mood for this crap." He sighed.

"Gen-sama?" A low baritone broke him from his sulking.

The blonde turned to face the owner of said voice.

Even if he had been standing, the muscular, dark-skinned man would have towered a good foot over him. His deep voice, startling build, and great height gave him an imposing presence that belied the intense loyalty and patience that Gen had always appreciated. His eyes were a steely gray and were weighted with the years he had served in Rock. A crimson dragon tattoo curled in an almost possessive grip around his bald skull.

Gen allowed a thin smile to grace his features for his most loyal teammate.

"What is it, Toma?"

"Both Kana and I are prepared for departure. Yue went to fetch the boys."

"Thanks. You can relax for a bit until she returns. After that we're gonna hightail it out of here." Gen replied, before turning back to gaze over the garden. Toma regarded him silently.

"May I speak, Gen-sama?" The blonde stiffened slightly. No one else would have noticed the minuscule tightening of his frame, but Toma did…as he always did.

"As of late you seem…agitated." Gen shot a very cautious look over his shoulder.

"Simply alert, Toma, as all of us should be." He stated decisively, hoping that his companion would just drop it. Toma persisted.

"Perhaps. However I do not recall you ever being in such a rush to leave before. It's unlike you to be nervous, Gen-sama."

_Dammit. _Gen cursed silently. Having been the very first member of the _Ningai, _Toma posessed a personal insight into Gen's mind that his most devoted followers would kill (mutilate and dismember in Kana's case) to have, and could read him better than Kakashi. He also knew Gen's…Naruto's greatest fear.

Toma sighed wearily, tired of being gentle. He had never been one to tiptoe around anything. Not even Gen.

"The Konoha nin are coming, aren't they?"

Gen's shoulders slumped in defeat.

…

Something was off.

That was Shin's conclusion as he watched Maru hound the owner of the shop.

The gangly, oily geezer had seemed a little too twitchy when they had announced that they were picking up the last of the requests. He had also seen the flash of horror in the man's eyes when Maru had mentioned the time of the _Ningai's_ departure.

Unless the man suffered from Parkinson's, there simply was no reason for it. If they were out in public, they either donned their masks, or wore civilian clothes so that their faces were not public knowledge.

They looked exactly like the yakuza thugs that did the rounds, and had not made any outright threats.

So what was the deal?

The jerky movements- poorly concealed. Eyes-shifty, pupils constricted. And the_ stalling_.

_Why are you trying to keep us here?_

Shin was admittedly young, but not naïve. There were countless people who wanted the _Ningai_ out of the way. His mind whirled with the possible plots.

Ambush, Assassination, Bounty Hunters, Oni Nin.

All of this just heightened the internal prodding of his gut, screaming at him to return to Gen-sama.

Too caught up in his thoughts, Shin jumped as the door to the dingy pawn shop opened.

He whirled around and felt the bottom drop out of his stomach.

It was Jiraiya, the Legendary Sannin.

Shinobi of Konoha.

* * *

Dun-dun-duuun! I'm back! but sadly not for long, term paper is coming up. so read, enjoy, and review!


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